Crown cap removing and retaining implement



'April 15, 1952 J. BELPEDIO 2,593,091

CROWN CAP REMOVING AND RETAINING IMPLEMENT Filed Aug. 22, 1950 N M i! Mum r,

11 ll R.

Inventor LJEIEIE'Y' BELFEDIU (Ittorneg use.

Patented Apr. 15, 1952 CROWN CAP REMOVING AND RETAINING IMPLEMENT lobby Belpedio, Bridgeport, Conn. 7 Application August 22, 1950, Serial No. 180,778

4 Claims.

1 The present invention relates to an implement for opening and closing crown cap bottles, and has for an object to provide a device of this character by means of which. the cap may be easily removed by a force amplifying lever action, and having means for centering the cap within the device preparatory to removal of the cap so that excessive distortion of the cap is prevented, enabling it to be effectually re-used to seal the bottle. A further object is to provide a cap removing device having spring means for centering the cap during removal and which retains the cap after removal, thus avoiding the usual procedure of allowing the cap to drop to the fioor'when removed, the retained cap therefore remaining in a sanitary condition for re- In this connection it is proposed to provide an enclosed wall adapted to surround the cap during and after its removal, so that it is protected from accidental disengagement and may be replaced upon the bottle without contact of the hands therewith.

Another-object is to provide a cap removing device which will function to replace the cap upon the bottle without removing it from the spring. retaining means, this being the procedure when a partial sealing of the bottle for a short period is desired,'and which operation is carried out without reshaping the rim of the crown cap. In the case of re-sealing for use after an extended period it is desirable that the rim be reshaped, and for this purpose it is. proposed in the present invention to provide a re-sealing part which may be engaged with the cap to reshape its rim into sealing engagement with the bottle.

Another object is to provide a cap removing implement which can also be used for piercing a can top.

With the above and other objects in view embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, and these embodiments will be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings: I V

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the implement according to one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the cap removed from the bottle.

Fig. '7 is a similar view showing the re-sealing means of the implement engaged with a cap upon a bottle.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of a modified embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary bottom plan view.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view, taken along the line |0H| of Fig. 8.

Fig. 11 is a similar view showing the implement engaged with a cap upon a bottle.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 7 thereof, the implement for opening and closing crown cap bottles, according to the exemplary embodiment'of the invention illustrated therein, comprises an elongated body member l0, preferably pressed from sheet metal, having a handle portion II and a head portion I2, the latter being relatively wide to engage over a crown cap. A depending flange l3 extends around the peripheral edge of the handle and head portions, and serves to stifien the implement and provide a rounded upper surface free from sharp edges, as well as to position and enclose the cap during and after removal.

The head portion is provided with a hole l4 at its forward edge extended downwardly into the forward portion of the flange l3, where it is provided with a horizontal edge l5 for engagement beneath the rim of the crown cap A of the bottle B, as shown in Fig. 5. The forward. portion of the flange I3 is slightly curved outwardly, and is provided with a downwardly extending lip I 6 for engaging the forward side of the bottle below thecap to thus determine, in cooperation with the side flange portion of the head, the proper centralized position of the cap within the head, the curvature of the edge [5 being such that it engages the lower edge of the cap at relatively widely spaced points, approximately 70 apart. Thus in removing the cap the under side of the head portion engages the top of the cap near its edge and directly over the cir-,- cular top of the bottle, the point of engagement being along a diametric line centrallyfof the two points of engagement of the edge IS with the cap. By pressing downward upon the outer end of the handle portion the cap is removed 7 with little effort and a minimum amount of distortion. r

.At the inner side of the head portion l2 there is provided a leaf spring member secured at its transverse portion l8 by rivets l9 and having downwardly extending end portions -20 disposed at the inner sides of the flange l3 where they normally incline inwardly, their lower end portions extending below the lower edge of the flange where they are slightly flared outwardly. This spring is positioned in the head portion so that it will extend diametrically across the crown cap when the lip I6 is in engagement with the forward side of the bottle, as shown in Fig. 5. The spring ends thus snap over the sides of the rim and retain the implement in centralized engagement with the cap preparatory to removal of the cap. Upon removal of the cap it will be retained by the spring ends within the implement in position to be replaced on the bottle simply by pressing with the palm of the hand upon the head portion of the implement, which is thereupon removed by lifting up on the handle, the lip l6 acting as a fulcrum to effect release of the spring ends from the cap. When the cap is not to be replaced on the bottle it can be readily removed from the implement by pressing with the finger through the hole M to release it from the spring ends.

For the purpose of re-forming the rim of the cap a re-sealing part 2| is provided in the handle portion near its rearward end. This part is of inverted cup-shape, its circular rim being slightly inclined upwardly and inwardly so that when pressed upon the cap, as shown in Fig. 7, it will force the rim of the cap inwardly into sealed relation upon the bottle. In carrying out this operation the cap is replaced upon the bottle by first pressing it into place with the head end, the part 2| being then placed over the head and hit firmly with the palm of the hand.

At the end of the handle rearwardly of the portion 2| a downwardly projecting sharpened prong member 22 of U-shape in cross-section is secured within the flange l3, preferably by brazing. This prong member is adapted for piercing a can top, the handle being engaged with the rim of the can at one side with the prong engaged with the can top adjacent the rim at the other side. By pressing downwardly on the member portion 2| the prong is caused to pierce the can top through the lever action of the handle.

In Figs. 8 to 11 there is shown a modified embodiment of the invention in which a spring catch means is employed in place of the leaf spring II. This comprises a sheet metal catch member 23 at the under side of the handle portion slideably engaged for longitudinal movement upon a shouldered stud 24 riveted to the handle portion and engaged in a slot 25 of the catch member. An upwardly projecting lug 26 at the rearward end of the catch member is engaged in a slot 21 in the handle portion and has a knob 28 secured thereon at the upper side of the handle portion. A finger 29 is provided at the forward end of the catch member for retaining engagement with the rim of the crown cap, th catch member being normally urged forwardly by a hair-pin spring 30 engaged about the stud 24 with its ends pressing forwardly upon the side edges of the finger 29.

The operation of engaging the implement with the cap and removing the cap is substantially the same as inthe embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to '7. To disengage the removed cap from the implement the catch is simply-retracted by pressing the knob 28 rearwardly.

I have illustrated and described preferred and satisfactory embodiments of the invention, but it will be understood that changes may be made therein within the spirit and scope thereof, as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An implement for opening and closing crown cap bottles, comprising a substantially flat forward head portion, a handle portion extending rearwardly from said head portion, a depending flange having a forward portion at the forward end of said head portion and side portions extending along each of its sides adapted to enclose the rim of a crown cap at each side, said forward portion having an opening forr'eceiving the rim of a crown cap with the underside of said head portion engaging the upper side of said cap, said opening having a lower edge adapted to engage the under side of said cap rim, and yieldably movable means engageable with said cap rim at a point removed from its point of engagement in said opening to releasably retain it within the space defined by said head and flange portions upon removal from a bottle.

2. An implement for opening and closing crown cap bottles, comprising a substantially flat forward head portion, a handle portion extending rearwardly from said head portion, a depending flange having a forward portion at the forward end of said head portion and side portions extending along each of its sides adapted to enclose the rim of a crown cap at each side, said forward portion having an opening for receiving the rim of a crown cap with the under side of said head portion engaging the upper side of said cap, said opening having a lower edge adapted to engage the under side of said cap rim, and yieldably movable means engageable with said cap rim at a point removed from its point of engagement in said opening to releasably retain it within the space defined by said head and flange portions upon removal from a bottle said opening extending rearwardly into said head portion to permit insertion of a finger to release said cap.

3. An implement for opening and closing crown cap bottles, comprising a substantially flat forward head portion, a handle portion extending rearwardly from said head portion, a depending flange having a forward portion at the forward end of said head portion and side portions extending along each of its sides adapted to enclose the rim of a crown cap at each side, said forward portion having an opening for receiving the rim of a crown cap with the under side of said head portion engaging the upper side of said cap, said opening having a lower edge adapted to engage the under side of said cap rim, and depending leaf spring means at transversely opposite sides of said head portion engageable with said cap rim at diametrically opposite points to releasably retain it within the space defined by said head and flange portions upon'removal from a bottle.

4. An implement for opening and closing crown cap bottles, comprising a substantially flat forward head portion, a handle portion extending rearwardly from said head portion, a depending flange having a forward portion at the forward end of said head portion and side portions extending along each of its sides adapted to enclose the rim of a crown cap at each side, said forward portion having an opening for receiving the rim of a crown cap with the under side of said head portion engaging the upper side of said cap, said opening having a lower edge adapted to engage the under side of said cap rim, and a spring pressed catch at the under side of said head diametrically opposite said opening engageable with said cap rim to cooperate with said forward portion to releasably retain said cap within the space defined by said head and flange portions upon removal from a bottle.

JOBBY BELPEDIO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent Number 6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Low Feb. 6, 1917 Jelinek July 19, 19-32 Ligeour May 18, 1937 Low Apr. 25, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Mar. 8, 1923 Great Britain June 15, 1933 

